


Lost and Found

by Ayantiel



Series: Cat/Rio/Tyrvar Worldstate [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Family Reunions, M/M, POV Fergus, There are some descriptions of Denerim post-battle, nothing too graphic but there's mention of dead bodies and battle wounds, post battle of denerim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 10:17:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13855731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayantiel/pseuds/Ayantiel
Summary: After the battle of Denerim is over, Fergus tries to find the one who ended it all. The Warden who killed the Arch Demon. The Hero of Ferelden; his little brother.alternative title; "How Zevran met your brother"





	Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of many snippets written for various prompts on the Bananas for Thedas Discord server. The lovely people there have been so encouraging, warm, and all around wonderful that I feel emboldened to share these little bits of writing here. Whereas previously I felt they were never good/long/complicated/simple/whatever-critical-adjective-my-asshole-brain-can-think-of-now enough. I will try to share more of my writing from here on out.

Denerim was burning. The bustling city Fergus remembered from previous visits was now in ruins. Instead of merchants selling their wares, Fergus saw makeshift infirmaries. Instead of children playing, he saw people counting their dead and building pyres.

As he made his way through the city, a constant stream of prayer ran through his mind. He'd heard rumours of the final battle at the very top of Fort Drakon, of who had been involved. Fergus had never in his life so desperately wished for a rumour to be true. Word was the Warden and his companions had been brought to the royal palace where their wounds were tended. So that's where he was headed.

The palace was busier than he had ever seen. People, soldiers and servants alike, were running to and fro, treating wounds, getting bandages. It took multiple tries before Fergus could get someone to pause long enough to send him in the right direction. The Warden had been brought to a guest chamber in the east wing.

Upon entering the east wing he almost immediately encountered a familiar face. Fergus recalled seeing the blond warrior before at Ostager. He'd been with another Grey Warden then, and not covered in nearly as much blood and grime.

For a moment, Fergus' heart sank. Was this the Warden they had spoken of? But he did not match the description he had been given. The description that sounded so much like his little brother.  
Maker, please...

"Excuse me." He got the warden's attention.

"I'm looking for... I hope to find my brother. I believe he joined the Grey Wardens."

The Warden's face turned to sympathy. Please no.

"I'm sorry, Ser. But most of my comrades died at Ostagar. Who exactly is it you are looking for?"

"My name is Fergus Cousland, my brother is called..."  
"Cadogan!" The warden exclaimed and suddenly his face broke into a broad, relieved grin.

"Yes! I know him! I mean, he's alive! And here! In the palace, I mean I'll bring you to him."

The man seemed to stumble over his own excitement at being able to give Fergus the good news. Fergus would forgive the man any and all lack of social graces. For all he cared the man could be naked and just as covered in grime and he'd still be willing to embrace him. A flood of relief washed over him at the sound of his brother's name.

"Please!" He said and eagerly followed the Warden through the hallways.  
As they walked the Warden barely paused for breath as he rambled on. About how he'd met Cadogan, how they had traveled together, how they had become friends. Something about meeting his sister with him? And somewhere in there he remembered to slip a "I'm Alistair by the way."

Fergus was barely listening, too busy looking out for any sign of his brother, now expecting, hoping, to see him around each corner. Alistair led him to a door that was slightly ajar. From the inside Fergus could hear a male voice with a thick antivan accent scolding someone.

"You might wear armour, but you are not an actual fortress, mi amor. Dodging is better than resisting a blow."

"My armour is a little heavier than yours, Zev. I can't move as quick as you."

At the sound of the familiar voice, Fergus pushed past Alistair, not caring that he seemed rude, and opened the door fully.

And there he was. Sitting on a chair, his armour discarded on the desk behind him, was his little brother.  
"Cadogan" he tried to call out, but his voice caught and it came out in a rasp.

Nevertheless Cadogan's head shot up and a second later he was out of his chair and rushing towards him. They met halfway in a crushing embrace.  
At first there were no words, but after a few moments there came a flood of them.

"Fergus, I'm so sorry. Our parents, Oriana. Maker, Oren... I tried- I couldn't"

A fresh wave of grief at the mention of his lost family hit Fergus like a sledgehammer. But he swallowed it down. He still had a brother. And he'd just found him again.

"Sssssh," he soothed and pressed a kiss to the side of his brother's head. "You're here."

They held onto each other for a few more moments before the elf with the Antivan accent interrupted them.

"I apologise for interrupting this touching reunion. But our brave Warden still has wounds that need tending to."

Fergus pulled away from his brother's embrace and looked him over. Half his face was still covered in soot, dirt, and dried blood. There was a cut above his right eye. The elf had been in the process of cleaning him when Fergus had barged in. And no doubt more injuries lay hidden underneath his underclothes.

"And as handsome as you are, you'll look far better when not covered in the blood of your enemies, no?" The elf went on.

Fergus' eyebrows rose up.  
Well that was an interesting development. For the first time, Fergus took a good look at the elven man.  
Long blonde hair, dark complexion marked by curious tattoos on the side of his face. The elf was pretty, insofar as men could be in Fergus' opinion. But he knew his brother had always held more appreciation for men.  
Looking back at his brother, Fergus was amused to find Cadogan's cheeks had flushed faintly pink.

He was about to follow his brother back to the chair, when he remembered Alistair. Mortified at treating one of Cadogan's brothers-in-arms with such callousness, he apologised and thanked the man profusely for guiding him to his brother.  
Alistair gave a good-natured smile and waved away his concerns.

"Glad I could help. Speaking of which, I should get back to doing that. It was great to meet you!" He made to turn around and leave them to their reunion when Cadogan called him back.

"You need to get used to delegating eventually, your majesty," he said with the sort of teasing grin Fergus had only ever seen directed at himself before.

Alistair's response only further confirmed the brotherly bond the two shared.

"Screw you, Cat."

After Alistair had left, Fergus turned to Cadogan with a small frown.

"Wait, why did you call him 'your majesty?'" he asked.

"That, my friend, was the King of Ferelden who so kindly played footman for you," the elf said.

Fergus' mouth dropped open. "What?" he said weakly.

Cadogan laughed at his expression and then winced as he clutched at his ribs.  
The elf, who Fergus learned was called Zevran, ushered Cadogan back to the chair and went back to tending his wounds.

Cadogan introduced the two of them, and Fergus was charmed by the look of utter adoration in his brother's eyes as he glanced at his lover. Zevran in turn looked a little more guarded in showing his affection, but in the way he fussed over Cadogan, Fergus saw real concern and fondness.

It was a little bittersweet to witness his brother finding love after Fergus had lost his own wife and son. But he would not begrudge his brother this happiness. He was thrilled, in fact, that Cadogan had managed to, finally, find love even amidst all the chaos and death that came with a Blight.  
He told him as much many hours later, after they had moved to sit by a fire and Zevran had left them to catch up (but not before pressing a lingering kiss to the back of Cadogan's hand with the promise to find them again later).

"Zevran seems like a good man. I'm happy for you."

Cadogan smiled, a shy smile that made it unable for Fergus to suppress a grin of his own.

"How did you meet?"

He didn't know what kind of answer he was expecting. Perhaps a tale of how one had saved the other from darkspawn or Loghain's men.

Cadogan cast him a mischievous smirk, which really should have clued Fergus in. But that expression was so rarely found on Cadogan's face that it took a fraction too long for Fergus to register it properly. The last time he'd seen that look on his brother's face, Cadogan had been eight years old and they had pranked Nan together.

"He tried to assassinate me."

"WHAT!?"

**Author's Note:**

> To the wonderful, ridiculous, amazing bananas: Thank you for your continuous encouragement and light when I need it most <3


End file.
